BAGHDAD -- The Iraqi government denied local media reports that three men working for the Interior Ministry arrested as insurgents were Iranian citizens.The ministry's chief of operations, Maj. Gen. Abdel-Karim Khalaf, told Kuwait's KUNA news agency the unidentified men arrested by U.S. forces Monday in Baghdad would be freed and were not Iranian."I dismiss that the three persons ... may hold Iranian nationality," he said. "It is their right as Iraqis to go wherever they ... [full story]

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had written allegations of planned government vote-rigging when she was assassinated, CNN reported Wednesday.Aides showed the broadcaster a copy of Bhutto's claims she planned to give to two U.S. congressmen last Thursday before gunfire and a bombing at a political rally in killed her.The transcript alleges the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's supporters "planned to create a conflict at the polling station, even killing people if necessary, ... [full story]

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- At least five people were killed and 23 injured Wednesday in a bombing aimed at a bus carrying injured Sri Lankan soldiers to a Colombo hospital.Seven of the victims were said to be hospitalized in critical condition, The Times of India reported. Colombo National Hospital Director Hector Weerasinghe said most of the victims were civilians while a few soldiers also were admitted with shrapnel injuries.The Sri Lankan military said in a ... [full story]

BANGKOK -- Thai Princess Galyani Vadhana, the older sister of King Bhumidol Adulyadej, died of abdominal cancer Wednesday at the age of 84.The princess had been treated for the cancer at Siriraj Hospital since last June, the Bangkok Post reported.Princess Galyani, who was born in London, studied science, chemistry, the arts, history and languages, and went on to become a teacher, the newspaper said. She also was heavily involved in charitable work, including the Foundation ... [full story]

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria -- A series of attacks by a street gang Tuesday left at least 10 people dead in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.Authorities said the assaults, which appeared coordinated, occurred at two police stations, a hotel and a restaurant, The New York Times reported. The victims included at least four police officers and several of the attackers, the newspaper said.Police officials said the assailants were believed to be members of the Niger Delta Vigilante, one ... [full story]

KHARTOUM, Sudan -- A U.S. diplomat was killed as he returned from a New Year's Eve party in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum in an attack that also left his driver dead.The Sudanese government said John Granville, 33, was near his home when 17 shots were fired from another car, The New York Times reported. Granville was on his way home from the British Embassy.Walter Braunohler, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, said ... [full story]

BAGHDAD -- The funeral for a retired Iraqi army officer exploded into bloody chaos Tuesday when a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing at least 30 mourners.Police said the attack in Baghdad also left at least 32 more wounded, the BBC reported.The explosion occurred as mourners gathered for the funeral of Nabil Hussein Jassim, who had been killed by a car bomb in Baghdad Friday, the British network said.The latest attack came the same day ... [full story]

SEATTLE -- The case of D.B. Cooper, the mystery man who parachuted over Washington state in 1971 with $200,000 in ransom money, still haunts the FBI.In a news release Monday, the FBI issued a public plea for help in solving the case, which it described as "a mystery, frankly.""We've run down thousands of leads and considered all sorts of scenarios," the FBI said. "And amateur sleuths have put forward plenty of their own theories. Yet ... [full story]

DES MOINES, Iowa -- John Edwards, the former senator from a right-to-work state, has won more union support than his Democratic rivals for the U.S. presidency.Union members have been putting some muscle behind the Edwards campaign as the Iowa caucuses approach, The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., reported. They have been ringing door bells across the state and appearing at rallies for their candidate.Hillary Clinton also has picked up some major union endorsements, including ... [full story]

SEATTLE -- Revelers in Seattle got bonus fireworks time as 2008 began thanks to a computer glitch.The three-man crew running the Pyro Spectaculars show worked manually after they realized the computer program was corrupted, a spokeswoman for the Space Needle said. That meant the fireworks were not in sync with the music, although viewers got both, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer said."The whole show was supposed to last 8 1/2 minutes and it went for11 1/2 minutes," ... [full story]